Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans: UNESCO

| | Kabul
  • 0

Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans: UNESCO

Friday, 16 August 2024 | AP | Kabul

The Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, a UN agency said Thursday. Afghanistan is the only country in the world with bans on female secondary and higher education.

The Taliban, who took power in 2021, barred education for girls above sixth grade because they said it didn’t comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. They didn’t stop it for boys and show no sign of taking the steps needed to reopen classrooms and campuses for girls and women.

UNESCO said at least 1.4 million girls have been deliberately denied access to secondary education since the takeover, an increase of 300,000 since its previous count in April 2023, with more girls reaching the age limit of 12 every year.

“If we add the girls who were already out of school before the bans were introduced, there are now almost 2.5 million girls in the country deprived of their right to education, representing 80% of Afghan school-age girls,” UNESCO said. The Taliban could not be immediately reached for comment.

Access to primary education has also fallen since the Taliban took power in Aug. 2021, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school, according to UNESCO data.

The U.N. Agency warned that authorities have “almost wiped out” two decades of steady progress for education in Afghanistan. “ The future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy,” it added.

Sunday Edition

The comeback man

03 November 2024 | Gyaneshwar Dayal | Agenda

DINING REDEFINED! WYNN MACAU DEBUTS DRUNKEN FISH

03 November 2024 | RUPALI DEAN | Agenda

Oktoberfest on a Platter

03 November 2024 | Sharmila Chand | Agenda

Vegan Wonders: Where to Eat Next!

03 November 2024 | Team Agenda | Agenda

LIVING IT UP IN AN AIRBNB IN LONDON

03 November 2024 | AKANKSHA DEAN | Agenda

Srisailam: A journey to spiritual splendour

03 November 2024 | VISHESH SHUKLA | Agenda